Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The How-Did-I-End-Up-with-Two-Copies-of-This? Book Giveaway

Announcing the first, and probably last, How-Did-I-End-Up-with-Two-Copies-of-This?Book Giveaway, inspired by the Great Reshelving Project, in which I learn, for the 685th time, that I buy too many books and then don't know where to put them.

I will therefore send the winner of this giveaway three (3!) books, one clean new copy of each of the following, which are all very good:

--The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo (shortlisted for the Newbery this year, another tender fable from the award-winning author, more magical realism than fantasy)--The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets, an Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer (a series I really like; it's about Sherlock Holmes' much younger but equally talented younger sister)--The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne Jones (very funny satire on fantasy clichés, encyclopedia format)

How do you enter? Simply leave a comment in which you tell us what 2-3 children's books you love so dearly that you would be happy to own two copies of them, or possibly do own two copies! (Just for example, I own two copies of an out-of-print fantasy called Taash and the Jesters by Ellen Kindt MacKenzie, a book I loved as a child.)

This giveaway will run for a week and a half to two weeks, depending on participation. Then I'll draw names to find a winner. So check back and/or leave handy identifying info in your comment.

Update: The HDIEUWTCOT? Book Giveaway will end at midnight, Pacific Time, on Friday, January 29, 2010. I'm enjoying all of your comments, especially knowing I'm not the only two-copy hoarder. And yes, I'm still keeping two (even three) copies of certain books!

26 comments:

I'm not entering - I'm not an Enola Holmes or Dicamillo fan and I already own Tough Guide - I'm just commenting. I own two copies each of Wind in the Willows and the Jungle Book - I wanted the edition I remembered as a child and new ones I found lovely. I also own multiple copies of various Joan Aiken books, including 6 different editions of Wolves of Willoughby Chase. My goal is to own every English edition of every Joan Aiken book!

Ha! "Two" funny! I own 2 copies of the same volume of Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories - a version from the late 30's and another from the 60's. I was entralled by the stories as a child and now my niece and nephew can't get enough of them. I should write about it on my blog . . .

Thanks for the chance to win these books. I haven't read any of them and I think I would enjoy them all!

I have two copies of The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge (and if you haven't read this yet, Kate, you should), and I have two copies of the Talking Parcel, because it's really hard to find and one of mine is wearing out, so I need the spare for when the Sad Day comes when copy 1 goes in the recycling.

For my entry... I own multiple copies of Homer Price because the cover art is different on each one and I love Robert McCloskey's illustrations from that book. I also own multiple copies of several of the Harry Potters - US versions, British versions, a couple that are signed. Can't have too much Harry!

I wouldn't mind owning many copies of StarGirl by Jerry Spinelli, A long way from Chicago, or A year down yonder by Richard Peck. But my girls just giggle over Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and are constantly quoting the original Winnie The Pooh. Those copies shred fast from use. So maybe we really need two of them.

Easy! I would happily own two of: Sense and Feeling, an ancient school reader full of treasures, which I found at a book sale; The Fourteen Bears in Summer and Winter, my absolute childhood favorite; and Little House in the Big Woods, the first chapter book I ever read.

I don't think I have doubles of any books, but I am terrible for getting rid of titles, missing them, and re-buying. Don't tell my husband.

I'll play! I own two copies of many titles because I never know when I might need a gift or God forbid, not get back one I loaned out! Three of my favorite title doubles are Charlotte's Web, Because of Winn Dixie, and Clementine!

What a wonderful contest! Count me in!Regarding the books I own or would like to own two copies of...goodness, almost all the ones I have! That way there is one to read and one to admire. Otherwise...I'd have to say...there was this one book called Ms. Muggs (can't recall/find author name) about an always-in-a-hurry absent-minded babysitter...loved that one. Also, there is an older book called Fairy Poems for the Very Young (again, the author escapes me) back from 1982...I had a copy when I was little (Thanks Mom!) and I can still recite the one poem from the book...alas, I believe it was lost in one of our family moves.

I used to have more than one copy of The Giver, but I lent my spare copy out and never got it back! I also have a couple copies of Where the Wild Things Are--one used copy I picked up at a garage sale, and one given to me when my daughter was born. I'm quickly running out of bookshelf space, so one of those may have to go!

Wonderful giveaway idea! Your post got me thinking. It wasn't easy coming up with just 3 books because I am such a book lover and I love to own multiple copies on hand to give to my friends! Even so, I don't have even 1 copy of the books you are giving away, so I'd love to enter this giveaway! Favorite books I own now are Eat Pray Love, Charms for the Easy Life, and Jane Eyre (2 copies). Thanks!Marcijune_spirit2628 at hotmail dot com

Hmmm... I'd love some books in different versions; for instance The Secret Garden as a picture book, and then a full edition for when my daughter is older. Maybe another Anne of Green Gables set so I could loan books out without fear of ending up with an incomplete set!

We posted about this giveaway at Winning Readings: http://winningreadings.blogspot.com/2010/01/childrens-books.html

Growing up we had 2 copies of Twas the Night Before Christmas and 2 copies of a Treasury of Christmas Stories. I would not mind having multiple copies of The Chronicles of Narnia.wmmahaney(at)att(dot)net

Alice In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass, the Velveteen Rabbit and all of the Nancy Drew series. I probably do have two copies of everything I have listed as I have 6 boxes of books in the attic that I haven't looked through in 3 years.

Ok this is a tough one. I would be happy to own 2 copies of Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. Awesome girl read. I could never have enough copies of ANY of the Harry Potter books (but book 2 is pretty great). And right now I can't have enough copies of The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket. Please enter me in the drawing. Line.clariline08 at yahoo dot com

Yes, I too am guilty of owning doubles. Wish I owned double the bookshelves! We have three copies of Mary Engelbreit's Mother Goose on our shelves. (The kids may each want their own copy someday, right?) I also own two copies of the The Bumper Book by Watty Piper and two copies of Tasha Tudor's Mother Goose, but they are different editions so that almost doesn't count.

Pretty much any book by Daniel Pinkwater. Specifically, I would name Borgel and Lizard Music, as I read and reread both of those so often they get completely worn out to the point of falling apart about every ten years.

ABOUT ME

I am madly in love with children's books and want to get great books into the hands of kids who will love them, too. Books are like magnifying glasses, intensifying the wonders of people and their imaginations and everything in the world from spiders to shoelaces. Books are a unique sort of conversation. I write them, too, mostly MG fantasy, but sometimes poetry and picture books. Thank you, Johanes Gutenberg!